The story of an NBS customer

bealtine

[Name removed]

All the National Broadband Scheme documentation that I can find online states that with a Three Modem, 1.2MBPS is the minimum download speed that they are required to provide. However, their phone support staff insist that 0.5MBPS is an acceptable service (I have heard this from three different Three support staff over the last few weeks).

Their method for ascertaining the down load speed is:
A. Ask customer to carry out a speed test using speedtest.net
B. If the test is less than 0.5MBPS download, do one of the following. Move the Laptop, Move the modem, Delete temporary files on the laptop and a number of other "rain-dances".
C. Repeat the test.

A, B and C are repeated until this arbitrary 0.5MBPS speed is reached at which point the Support staff tell the customer that everything is working fine and they end the phone call.

Should a speed test fall below this 0.5MBPS within minutes, it doesn't really matter, because now the customer has to ring up Three again, give account details etc... and repeat the above three steps.

Its vicious circle perpetuated by Three staff. At least they get paid to go through this torturous process. The customer actually pays for this, E19.99 a month.

My mother is a customer. She has been given this treatment for ages. At one stage, they sent out a Repeater, it made no difference - Apart from elongating the pointless support process by their requests that she constantly moves the Repeater from room to room. Again and again she rang their support, and has been left in tears on one occasion by the refusal of Three support staff to do anything other than a variation on the three step process laid out above.

In the few weeks, I have attempted to get them to upgrade her service to a Satellite system, which they are obliged to provide under the National Broadband Scheme where their Mobile Modem system does not work. In fact, my mother's closest neighbours received such a system several months ago - They aren't sure how their complaints were any different to those of my mother.

After three weeks of Emails, Tweets, being left on hold, speed tests, a new modem and consistently poor download speeds, which on average fall below even 0.5MBPS - Three Support Staff are still asking us to move the Laptop around the house and the best yet - "What colour is the light on the modem ?". Anyone who has used one of these modems will know that the light can often change colours every five seconds.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Communications+Development/National+Broadband+Scheme/NBS+FAQs.htm#Product "The total value of the investment required to implement the National Broadband Scheme is estimate at circa €223m, of which the Government is contributing €79.8m".

Next, I am calling Com Reg. If you find yourself in a similar situation I suggest you do the same.
NBS Frequently Asked Questions - Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

watty

Well, the amount paid to Analysys Mason to Audit the scheme wouldn't cover them to leave the office.

We know the system performs much worse than publicly admitted. The fact that some people on 3G/HSPA can get good speed is irrelevant. No mobile service should even have been acceptable at the tender stage. The whole saga is like some banana republic contract. Someone in the civil service and the previous Government needs to be brought to account. The problem isn't "Three", they are the symptom.

The so called "Repeaters" should be illegal except for Tunnels, metal buildings and underground facilities. They are making overall 3G WORSE getting deployed in ordinary houses.

clohamon

Next, I am calling Com Reg. If you find yourself in a similar situation I suggest you do the same.
NBS Frequently Asked Questions - Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

No point calling Comreg; its a DCENR scheme until July 2014. Comreg just re-direct.

thebman

hmmm, ring local TD for the moment, sure you shouldn't have to but at least they might be able to ask the Minister responsible (Pat Rabbitte), what the hell is he up to and what is going on in his department and your TD can say that people in his constituency are complaining.

Even if all it does is get a phone call to 3 to get you on satellite, it will at least improve your situation despite not solving the problem.

Really the onus shouldn't be on the customer to show 3 are delivering minimum standards sometimes, it is up to 3 show they are delivering at least minimum service at all times surely.

ThreeVictim

Don't get me started!

I'm Three customer since 2 month again, with speed problems after the two weeks money back guarantee.
Nothing has changed since I am cancel my first contract 3 years ago. The support blame every one of them customer who contact Three about problems, be stupid culchies.

They get hundreds of millions of Euro from the Government and EU to build this poor service, telling lies, blame customers for their own mistakes. They don't reading, understand and accept their own terms and conditions.

The better speed test service is testmy.net ! After register, your test results are automatic stored.

Edit: Have had some argument today with the Hotline.Standard answer, we will investigate and call you. The same old road....

But otherwise, I could never do this job far away in the Indian Callcenter.

http://testmy.net/quickstats/ThreeNBS :eek:

ThreeVictim

After talk with a manager speed problem was fixed a few days later. :-)